Iran says it received US response to its proposal to end war

Iran received the official US response to its proposal to end the Middle East war on Wednesday, state media reported. Foreign Minister Abbas Araghchi presented the reply to President Masoud Pezeshkian at a cabinet meeting, days after US President Donald Trump rejected the plan.

What is the new Iranian proposal to end the war?

Iran's proposal sets out seven conditions for ending hostilities and reopening the Strait of Hormuz, a vital route for oil and gas exports. Not all conditions have been made public. Those disclosed include a ceasefire across the Middle East, the unfreezing of Iranian assets abroad, the lifting of oil sanctions and an end to the US naval blockade.

Tehran had been awaiting an official reply via Qatari mediators. Trump rejected the proposal when speaking to the press on Saturday.

"At today's cabinet meeting, the American side's proposal was presented to President Masoud Pezeshkian by Foreign Minister Abbas Araghchi," government spokeswoman Fatemeh Mohajerani told the official IRNA news agency. She did not specify the content of the reply.

Why is the Strait of Hormuz at the center of the conflict?

The strait lies at the heart of the conflict between the United States and Iran, which began with US-Israeli strikes on the Islamic republic in late February. Tehran imposed a blockade on Hormuz after the war started. Washington responded with its own blockade on Iranian ports.

After seven months of conflict, indirect talks between the two countries resumed last week on the sidelines of the UN General Assembly. Iran's demands also include a ceasefire in Lebanon, where its ally Hezbollah has been battling Israeli forces.

Is fighting still continuing in the Strait of Hormuz?

Fighting has subsided in recent weeks, though Tehran has continued to target ships in the strait. Iran's Revolutionary Guards, the ideological arm of the country's military, said on Wednesday that they have been striking small vessels that try to pass through.

"We have been striking ships for quite some time now, specifically the small vessels I mentioned that attempt to pass. We block their passage, yet the US has not retaliated for a while," Guards spokesperson Hossein Mohebi told state TV.

How is the US responding economically?

The US, meanwhile, has stepped up its economic warfare against Iran. Washington has imposed sanctions on Iranian airlines and vowed to take a hard stance against foreign companies that provide them with assistance.